Lilian’s View Visiting the Courts

It is hot and stuffy in the High Court of Justice Browne Marke. This is mostly influenced by the weather outside, whose temperature is seeping through the windows. Still the atmosphere in that room is also heavy with the fact that it is a court of law and most people are far from enjoying a pleasant day when an appointment of this type is on the agenda.
I visited the Law Courts in Freetown on Monday to experience this particular aspect of Sierra Leone. The only other courts I have had the pleasure of attending have been municipal and county courts back in my home state of Washington. Those courts are full of people who ran a red light, were in too much of a hurry to obey the speed limits, had a bit too much fun at a party then made the mistake of driving home and just recently those who ignored the new cellphone laws and used their mobile while driving. But you don’t have to worry about that here. I am told that the magistrate court deals with motor cases but judging from chaos on the roads I get the feeling that drivers pay about as much attention to traffic laws as I did when my mom warned me to stay away from boys.
Much of the way court is conducted here is very similar to how they do back home. This is not a surprise as both America and Sierra Leone are former colonies of the British Empire. Everyone rises for the judge and again for their exit. This is second nature and seems to be an international norm for showing respect. The judge does not brandish a gavel but nonetheless there is power in the wave of his hand and his voice is obeyed. The layout of the courtroom is almost identical; although this was the first time I saw a pile of disregarded chairs collecting dust in the corner of a room of this stature.
With all their similarities to the English system this is still Sierra Leone and the courts are not immune to the flavor of this country. As I first watched a witness take the stand she was given a choice: make the true oath using either the Koran or the Bible. How refreshing it was to see a government recognizes and respects its citizens’ spiritual diversity. One of what I believe to be America’s best assets is our First Amendment, which among other great things grants freedom of religion. Still 221 years later we still struggle over the separation of church and state and before you testify in a U.S. court you place your hand on the Bible. This is not a choice. The Sierra Leonean witness was also asked which language was most convenient for her to testify in. I was told by my colleague that if needed the court would provide her a translator. Silently I applauded the court for finding a way to give all 23 languages a voice in the legal system. I can’t help but imagine what it must have been like in the 1850s when more than 200 languages where uttered throughout Freetown.
In preparation for my visit to the Law Courts, I was instructed not to wear pants and one of my coworkers wrapped my head with a scarf. It was a fun memorable moment with everyone in the office giggling and lauding me for now “you are truly African.” I admire the local women and have already spent a good amount of time gazing at the different ways they wear scarves in their hair. The intricate folds and their placements amaze me and it is one of my many goals to learn this technique before I depart. This aside I can’t help but question the reasoning behind this requirement. If women must cover their hair – why not the men too? My readers should understand that I was raised to the tune of women’s liberation chants. This is also a fact that I must recognized about myself and I must be very careful not to be ethnocentric. Still curiosity has gotten the best of me. Why this custom? The answer goes back to the British, ah the British. Apparently it was their tradition for women to cover their heads in court and for lawyers and judges to wear wigs. It is all a bit silly to me, especially the wigs. But then again it adds pageantry. And the courts are an appropriate place for pageantry and the air of respect that it carries.
In the pageant spirit I was delighted by the fashion show. It was as if everyone were in their Sunday-best. The men were either dressed to the nine in suits or African gowns. The elaborate fabrics that graced the women made it appear as if splashes of the sun and stars as well as flora decorated the halls. Inside the court room lawyers, perspiring under their wigs and robes fanned themselves. How do they stand it under all those layers of cloth, I wondered. Every now and then breeze would come in from outside but most of the time it was only the noise of the street that blew into the room.
In the halls it was even louder. The corridors were stuffed with people. While some passionately discussed a case others appeared to know everyone, greeting each other with smiles, mixing work with social hour. By English standards a court is supposed to reflect the society it serves. From my couple of hours of observation, the Sierra Leone court has held true to this standard.
By Lillian Tucker